The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-20
ESTABLISHED 1880,
J. ii. ESTfLL, Editor and Proprietor.
A STEAMER BURNS AT SEA
OVER 400 PEOPLE TAKE TO THE
LIFE BOATS.

teen People on BOard-The Fire
Originated Among Cotton and Baff1ed
All the Attempts to Control 1t.
LONDON, Aug. 19-The Inman line
steamer City of Montreal has been de-
stroyed by fire at sea. The City of Mon
treal left New York Aug. for Liverpool.
She was commanded by Capt. Land The
news of the burning of the steamer was
learned upon the arrival at Queenstown this
morning of the British steamer York City,
which left Baltimore Aug. for London.
This steamer rescued the passengers and
crew from the burning vessel and brought
them to Queenstown.
The destruction of the steamer occurred
on Aug. II, five days after she left New
York. A boat containing six passengers
and seven members of the crew is missing.
She had 420 passengers on board. The pas
sengers AMI crew of the City of Montreal
were taken off the steamer York City by
the tug Mount Etna and landed at Queens
town. All were accounted for except the
thirteen persons in the missing boat. 1t is
learned that shortly after the passengers
had gone to bed on the night of Aug. TO- the
ship being in latitude 430 north, they were
aroused by an alarm of fire.
A SCENE OF CONSERVATION.
A scene of CONSERVATION ensued and the
passengers were greatly terrified when they
found out the true state of affairs. The smoke
caused by the fire was suffocating. The
passengers dressed and got on deck as
quickly as possible The fire originated in
cotton stored in the after main hold. Nine
streams of water were soon working on the
flames, and the course of the vessel was
shaped toward Newfoundland 400 miles dis
tant. The flames spread with great rapidity,
and soon burst with terrific force through
the midway and after hatches the heat be-
ing intense. 1t becoming evident that it
was impossible to save the ship a momen-
tary panic ensued.
AT THE NEW YORK OFFICE
New YoRK, Aug. 10.-The officials of the
Inman line have no direct advices about
the City of Montreal. She left this city on
Aug. g., and was four days overdue from
Liverpool. Considerable anxiety was felt
about her. She had no first cabin passen-
gers, but carried 223 intermediate and 115
steerage passengers, and had crew of
eighty men.
TAKING TO THE BOATS.
The boats were eight in number, and con-
sisted of four lifeboats and four pinnaces.
These were launched and stocked with pro-
NAolOlls. IHC opi eau WIul
ness and the efforts to quench them were
futile. At s o'clock in the morning the pas
sengers were marshalled on deck pre-
paratory to entering the boats.
Many of them were weeping, but
on the whole they were quiet and orderly.
There was heavy sea running, and it was
with great difficulty that the boats were
kept from being smashed. The crew worked
splendidly, and all the passengers were
Tlapad in tha boats IL. a CHI
time. How the boats ioated with their
heavy loads is miracle. As the last boat
was putting off from the ship
several of the passengers and
crew were seen aft. They had been
overlooked and were screaming to the boats
to return. They were subsequently bravely
rescued-half dead from the effects of the
smoke and heat.
THE LOST BOATS DISAPPEARANCE.
The boats soon scattered, and one entirely
vanished. This contained six of the crew
and seven passengers. and there is but little
doubt that the whole boatload perished
The boat did not contain a full crew, and
left the steamer against the captains
orders, as there was time to take
many more in it, A bark
was sighted shortly after the boats left the
steamer and her crew were preparing to pick
upthe survivors when the steamer Y ork City,
attracted by the flames from the burning
vessel, which were shooting up 100 feet i'll
the air, bore down and with difficulty took
all hands on board. The rescued people
were treated with the utmost kindness and
the passengers speak with much feeling
OF the consideration which was
accorded to them. The York City pro-
ceeded to London after landing the City of
Montrears passengers and crew at Queens
town. The survivors are unanimous in de-
claring that the officers and crew of the
City of Montreal did their duty nobly and
skillfully. The crew numbered eighty five
sl told. The company estimate the value
OF the vessel between S400,000 and $500, 900
She is fully insured in foreign. companies.
CAPTAIN LANDS STORY.
QUEENSTOWN, Aug. 10.-Capt. Land, com
mander of the City Of Montreal, makes the
following report: On Aug. 10 the wind
was north to northwesterly. About 8
o'clock on the evening of that day fire was
discovered in the after hatch among the
cotton. The fire hose were at once CON
nected and streams of water were poured
upon the flames. Annihilators and hand
grenade fire extinguishers were freely
used The fire, however, overcame all
eHortS to suppress it, and
spread over the upper and lower decks.
The ship was doomed from the beginning of
the fire, and the boats had been actively
prepared and provisioned. At 6 O'Clock on
tne morning of Aug. IL, the flames burst
through the after hatches--the boats were
then lowered. There was high sea at the
Time, and this caused much difficulty. The
women and children were first put aboard
the boats, and the male passengers and crew
We're embarked afterwards
ALL DONE IN HURRY.
=, Lack of time prevented the manning of
the boats with their respective crews, the
men being compelled to continue until the
last moment the work of keeping the flames
GOWN. All the boats lett the ship safely, but
Dy an unfortunate oversight, twenty people
We're left aboard the burning vessel. Boat
NO. 8 returned and took off six of the num-
Der Boat No. 5, with the fourth officer, took
OIL six more. A bark was then reported APP
preaching, and when all the boats had put
then' people aboard her they returned, aud
Vook OIL those remaining on the burning
steamer. IL was found that boat No. was
missing. She was seen to put herself before
,he wind when she left the ship, using
aS aer oars in support Of her sails.
ohe ran away from the vessel in direct dis
obedience to the Captains orders. Every
pody spent the night aboard the German
oark Traban, Capt. Scheel, from Charles
toh, July "A, for London, and all were then
transferred to the York City, which stayed
Sy throughout the night and vainly searched
'of the missing boat.
THE CAPTAIN's HOPES.
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